OLWG #35- AHintofWoodSmokeinEarlyMorningAir

Waking, I try not to change the way I breathe. My eyes remain closed. I listen but the clittering of crickets is all I hear. Listen harder – is that an owl?

Yes, yes it is; sounds as if he might be down by the mill.

I pick up the scent of smoke, but it’s faint, like dying coals from Henderson’s shitty stove. The one he uses to heat his house. I believe he bought it at Walmart or Amazon; it’s not a very good one but he says, “It’s good enough.”

There is nothing else that I can sense. I hover, reaching out. What woke me?

Slowly my eyes open, and I note that the room is still dark. I search, and in my periphery I see the glow of the clock beaming from the bookshelf, where it normally sits. It shows the time, just after 2:00am.

Through the window I see the moon hovering behind the bare branches of a birch; it reminds me of a coffee stain or a scorched crescent on a piece of newsprint.

Ever so slowly, I inch my hand over until I encounter warmth. It’s the glow that emanates, shines from you. You are still there. I’m relieved.

I don’t know why: I don’t know why I’m always afraid you’ll be gone when I wake. Every time I find you still here – I’m amazed and I rejoice.

This weeks prompts are:

The epic properties of ordinary

Can you hand me that please

fraught

Go ahead and dive in, set your imagination free!
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